Mixed emotions were expressed by local school superintendents in up to six districts after Evening Sun reporters tested security measures throughout the county last Monday.
Following the security check, Chenango school superintendents were contacted and asked to give their assessments of how their schools fared during our subjective test.
“Am I mad? No. Am I upset? No. Am I happy? No,” said Sherburne-Earlville Schools Superintendent Gayle Hellert. “(The experiment) was addressed with teachers afterwards, and it brought issues back to the table regarding how to ensure safety.”
The intention of the assignment was not to gain entry by any means necessary, but to see how accessible the school is to the common visitor. Unadilla Valley Superintendent Rex Hurlburt said he is glad his district was successful in its security measures and he and his staff continually review safety and security.
Greene Central Schools Superintendent Gary Smith said the experiment was a wake up call and a learning experience. “We plan to incorporate what happened Monday into our table top discussions and into other security exercises,” said Smith.
Most superintendents agreed that dealing with school security is a balancing act, and there is a fine line between making the school welcoming to parents and the community, while also ensuring the safety of the students.
“We can’t guarantee everyone is 100 percent safe and secure. If we did, then it would look like a penitentiary,” said Smith.
Oxford Academy Superintendent Randy Squire said he was happy his schools were found to be among the most secure. “It was a reminder to us that we always need to be vigilant and make sure everything is getting done,” Squire said.
Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton’s Superintendent Doug Exley agreed that anything that leads to improving safety and security for students is a good thing.
Children bring in their own issues into the school environment from home or other outside sources. All local schools have counselors to help connect students with an adult the student can confide in and go to when he or she has a problem.
“Communication with students is important. Many times school is where students feel the safest,” Squire said.
Identifying “at-risk” students or students who may need additional guidance or support is a key concern for local districts. School counselors try to identify children with social, academic and emotional needs. Students face challenges such as divorce, abuse, lack of social skills, grief and other challenges outside school walls that often take a toll within the school’s boundaries.
Testing security from an outsider’s perspective only shows the needs of the district from the bird’s eye view; many security and safety concerns are brought up within the buildings themselves.
All school officials said the security of the district is a number one priority for students, faculty and staff, but not all were receptive to the findings of The Evening Sun’s informal test, or the reasonings behind it.
“Anytime you have drills, you certainly will find holes,” said Otselic Valley Superintendent Lawrence Thomas, where a reporter was buzzed in, but was able to roam the halls freely for a few minutes afterward. “It could have been done in more of a positive way,” Thomas said. “Notifying the superintendent would have been better and doing it this way it may not help the students, staff or the community.”
Although most Norwich City Schools passed The Evening Sun’s subjective test of outside security, Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan said he was not happy with the methodology. He said the way the reporters tested the security was “disruptive” to the Norwich faculty and staff. Later in the week, it was reported that the same day The Evening Sun conducted this experiment, a student at the Norwich Middle School was stopped before anything could come of an apparent plot to do harm to classmates.
“The staff was understandably upset and if someone wants to test security, there are better ways to do it,” O’Sullivan said.